SERMON XLIH.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF OUR PRIN CIPLES OF RELIGION,

I THESS. V. 21, 22.

Prove all things: hold faft that which is good: abstain from all appearance of evil.

BY

Y the extenfive word, all, the apostle in this place evidently means no more, than all things which may be right or wrong in point of confcience. And by proving them he means, not that we should try them both by experience, which would be an abfurd and pernicious direction: but that we should examine them by our faculty of judgment, which is a wife and ufeful exhortation. Accordingly, Chriftianity recommends itfelf to us at first fight by this peculiar prefumption of its being the true religion, that it makes application to men as reafonable creatures, and claims our affent on account of the proofs which it offers. By thefe alone it prevailed originally: on. thefe it still relies; and requires faith for the principle of our obedience, only because it produces evidence for the ground of our faith. Now fuch an inftitution furely is intitled to receive the fair treatment which it gives, when it afks of mankind no more than this; that they hould first confider well the several obligations they are under; then adhere to whatever they find to be enjoined them; and laftly avoid whatever they conceive to be forbidden which momentous duties I fhall endeavour to explain and enforce in three difcourfes on the text.

That beings, capable of thought, are obliged to think, is ve ry obvious that they fhould think with the greatest care on subjects of the greatest importance, is equally fo: and the queftion, what obligations we are under, is plainly of the utmost importance. For our behaviour, and confequently our happiVOL. II.

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nefs, depends on the determination of it. Therefore we are just as much bound to conduct our understanding well, as our tempers or outward actions. And the opportunities given us of fhowing, either diligence in procuring information, and fairness in judging upon it, or the contrary, are trials, which God hath appointed, of every one's moral character; and perhaps the 'chief trials, which fome have to go through. Every instance, greater or lefs, of wilfully difregarding truth, instead of feeking and embracing it, argues a proportionable depravity of heart; whether the diflike be manifefted in a ftudious oppofition to it, or an indolent fcorn of it.

There are some who openly profess an utter contempt of all inquiry defpife fuch as are folicitous either about belief or practice, and even affect a thoughtleffnefs, which they find to be grown fashionable. Now really, if this be an accomplishment, it is one, that whoever will may eafily be master of. But furely men ought to think feriously once for all, before they refolve for the rest of their days to think no more. There are strong appearances, that many things of great consequence are incumbent on us. No one can be fure, that these appearances are fallacious, till he hath examined into them. Many, who have, are fully perfuaded of their truth. And, if there be fuch things in the world as folly and guilt, it can never be ei ther wife or innocent to difdain giving ourselves any trouble about the matter, and take it abfolutely for granted, that we may live as we will: a decifion of such a nature, that were it made on feemingly ever fo good grounds, it would be very fit to review them well from time to time, for fear of a mistake that must be fatal.

And if a general neglect of confidering our conduct be criminal, a neglect of confidering any part of it muft, in its degree, be criminal alfo. Many have weighed carefully, and obferve confcientioufly, fome duties of life; but will not reflect a moment, whether it be allowable for them to behave, in other points, as they do. And yet, if any moral obligation deferves regard, every fuch obligation deferves it equally. And when the question comes to be, what is indeed fuch, and what not, impartial reason, well directed, must be judge; not inclination or fancy for if thefe can make things lawful, nothing will be unlawful. And therefore, inftead of ever following fuch guides implicitly, we should always have the greater fufpicion that

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we are going wrong, the more vehemently they prefs us to go forward.

Some again have fearched, and obtained fatisfaction, they fay, concerning every article of morals; but will not concern themselves about religion. Yet furely the inquiry, whether there be a wife and juft ruler of this universe or not; and if there be, what homage he expects from us; and what we have to hope or fear from him, according as we pay it, or refuse it; is as material a one, as ever was made. And on what pretence any one can doubt whether it be worth making, and reverently too, it is impoffible to say.

Another fort declare, that they have a fettled conviction of natural religion, (would God they would ask their hearts, what feelings of it they cultivate, what marks of it they show,) but treat revelation at the fame time, as totally unworthy of being confidered. Yet that our heavenly Father can give us very ufeful information both of what we did not know before, and of what we could not know elfe, is at least as credible, as it is certain that we can give fuch one to another. And that he may with juftice give fome men greater advantages than others by fupernatural discoveries, is no lefs clear than that he may give them fuch advantages by their natural abilities and circumftances. If then God may do this for us, it is a most interesting question, whether he hath or not; and an indispensable precept, which the words, immediately preceding the text, express when joined with it. Defpife not prophecyings: prove all things.

But there is yet a different set of perfons, who confefs, that both our attention, and our affent, are due to Christianity in general, but who are against difcuffing any of its doctrines in particular. Provided men know but enough of it, to keep them well-behaved and quiet, nothing further, they conceive, is needful: whatever fentiments about fpeculative points happen to prevail, should be supported, and no difputes allowed to break in upon the peace of the world. Now it is very true, that fociety should not be difturbed by contentions about opinions, as it hath often been moft dreadfully: nor men be perplexed about queftions of mere curiofity, inftead of learning better things; nor frightened, or estranged from each other by laying ftrefs on points of mere nicety. And the New Teftament ftrongly forbids all these things. But ftill, if the Chriftian religion be from heaven, it cannot be a matter of indifference,

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what its real doctrines are: nor can its author have given us the liberty of profeffing others in their ftead. Some of them may feem, and perhaps may be, though that doth not follow, of fmall confequence to the purpofes of common life: but if they convey to us juft notions of God, and of thofe relations of ours to him, which are never the lefs real for not being difcoverable by reafon; if they inftru&t us in the duties, which thofe relations require, and form us to that ftate of mind, which he knows to be requifite for enjoying the happiness of another world, be their connexion with this world ever fo little, furely they are important enough. Some of them alfo have doubts and difficulties attending them; as even the doctrines of natural religion, and the duties of morality have: but thefe were intended to furnish us with opportunities of fhewing uprightnefs in judging where we are qualified to judge; and humility in fubmitting our fhallow imaginations to unfathomable wif dom, where we are not; the exercise of which virtues here will fit us for a plentiful reward hereafter. And would men but once prevail on themselves to exprefs their thoughts on controverted fubjects with decency and candour: fociety, inftead of fuffering by debates, would receive much bencfit. Christianity would be better understood; and therefore more justly esteemed, and more difcreetly practifed: it would be built on firmer foundations, and therefore be fecurer against all affaults.

There ftill remains a larger number of Chriftians, I mean the advocates of the church of Rome, who are indeed by no means indifferent what doctrines are held, but vehemently oppofe entering into any difquifitions about them; and would have us, inftead of that, fift look out for an infallible guide, and then follow him blindfold. But they have never been able to fhow, that fuch infallibility exifts amongst men; or even to agree with each other determinately, in whom they should place it. And the scripture, far from directing us to examine this one claim, and after that never to examine more, directs us in many places, but particularly in the text, by as plain words as can be written, to prove, that is, examine, all things. But were this otherwife, their pretenfion will require no long examination: for it is in vain to argue that fuch or fuch men cannot mistake, when it notoriously appears in fact, that they have mistaken.

Every article, therefore, both of morals and religion, may and ought to be tried, in fuch manner as can be reasonably expected from the parts, attainments and circumftances of each person: and concerning this, we fhould both judge modeftly for our felves, and confult others with deference. For attempting too much will be more likely to mislead, than improve us.

But then the more general and important this duty of inquiry is, the more care must be taken to perform it aright. For many pique themselves on a moft unbounded zeal for freedom of thought, and a thorough fearch into things, who yet by no means deserve the character which they assume.

Some of them fancy they have thought very freely upon religion. Now this is, in one fenfe, treating it freely indeed, but no proof of thinking upon it at all. For mere disbelieving is no more an evidence of having examined, than mere believing is. However, at least, they fay, they have thrown off the prejudices, in which they were bred up: and throwing off prejudices must be right. But then they are many of them for extirpating, under that odious name, original natural'difpofitions in the heart of man. For inftance the propenfity, that we all experience to revere an invisible power; the efteem that we all feel of justice and truth, of mercy and goodness, of honour and decency; are as real conftituents of our inward frame, as any paffion or appetite, that belongs to it. Yet thefe principles, which direct us to every thing that is good, they would perfuade us to root out as prejudices; while they plead earnefly for the inclinations, that continually prompt us to vice, as dic tates of nature. And a part of our nature undoubtedly they are: but a part lamentably difordered; and which, in its best eitate, the other and higher was evidently defigned to govern and reftrain. At least, to fet out with taking the contrary for granted; and condemn things at once, as groundlefs prepoffef fions, which have fo refpectable an appearance of being the primitive guides of life, is by no means inquiring freely.

Another falfe notion concerning prejudices, though at firt fight a plaufible one, is, that we ought to diveft ourselves of all defire to find religion true, before we go about to judge of it. Now it is impoffible, that a perfon of a worthy mind. fhould do fo. He may indeed, and will take care, not to be miled by his defire. But he neither can, nor ought to be indifferent concerning a point, on which his own eternal happi

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